How to Get Involved with Teaching

By Hetal Shah

Photo by Jeremy Huang on Unsplash

Interested in teaching? We interviewed members of the AWE community on course staff and asked them about their experiences and their journeys in getting started. Whether you want to join CSM or eventually become a TA, be sure to check out their responses below to see what the first steps you can take are and any advice they have!

Course Staff Positions

First off, let’s define some common positions you may encounter in your course staff search. Here are how members of the AWE community on course staff explained their respective roles:

• AI
  – Help students with problems during lab and discussion
• Lab ASE
  – Help TAs in lab section; debug circuits, answer student questions, checking off students at the end of lab, grading lab reports
  – Training: go over lab with another ASE; help content team catch bugs
  – Opportunity to work on side projects for the course
  – 8 hours: 2 hours of training and 6 hours of lab section
• OH/Homework Party ASE
  – Prep each week’s homework
  – Review content to be able to mini lecture
• TA
  – Teach a discussion and/or lab section
  – Hold OH
  – Create exam content: write questions, test run the exam, grade
  – Answer piazza posts
  – Answer gitbugs
  – Proctor exams
• Reader
  – Grade homework assignments and exams
  – Write worksheet problems
  – Hold office hours
• Tutor
  – Hold discussion sections
  – Test run, proctor, and grade exams
  – Hold office hours
  – Hold project parties and review sessions

Q: What motivated you to get involved in teaching?

• Maryam Azmandian (EECS 16B, CS 61A, CS 61B, CS 61C | ASE, AI; CSM): I really enjoy helping others and since elementary school, have been fortunate to be able to help my peers with a question that they might have. My friends would express appreciation for the way I teach, how I validate their feelings, and my enthusiasm for the topics. Thanks to that, I came to find a lot of joy in teaching and that put me on a beautiful path to take on a variety of teaching positions.
• Jordan Schwartz (CS 61A | TA, CSM SM): I really liked tutoring math in high school so I came into Berkeley thinking I would want to try the CalTeach minor and TA-ing. I both really appreciate and like the aspect of working with people, one-on-one and in groups, having those interpersonal connections, as well as describing content and passing on knowledge. Turns out CalTeach wasn’t quite right for me, but I found a really great community within teaching CS at Berkeley and love being a TA.

Q: How did you get involved in teaching?

• Aishani Sil (CS 70 | uGSI, reader, AI; CSM JM, content mentor): I actually came to Cal Day as a high school senior and visited the CSM booth. Speaking to the mentors made me feel like I would have great support coming in to Berkeley CS and it positively influenced my decision to come to Cal even though I was nervous about declaring. I always love paying things forward — so when I sat down as a student in my first 61a section, I knew I’d make an effort to find a class I’m passionate about and be that mentor for other students :))
• Catherine Bumagat (​​CSM SM | EECS 16A): I’ve been in CSM teaching 16A since Fall 2019 (wow i feel so old lol). I started off as a Junior Mentor myself, and became a senior mentor the following semester, and I’ve stayed with CSM ever since! I just love the atmosphere and vibes of CSM, and I wholeheartedly believe in everything CSM stands for. I was a lab ASE for one semester for 16B as well!

Q: What is your favorite part about teaching in general or in a specific role?

• Jordan Schwartz (CS 61A | TA, CSM SM): In general, I really like the connections I get to make with others, both on course staff and with students. Many people talk about the “aha!” moment as their favorite part of teaching and I think that rings true for me too, but I also particularly enjoy the exchange of thoughts and ideas that comes with teaching, where both I and others have to be creative and learn from each other. Being an SM (senior mentor) is also really special because there is a different type of connection to your JMs (junior mentors) than JMs have to SMs. Having this leadership position has taught me a lot about the perspective of others in teaching as well as different ways to explain my thoughts. Overall, I really like the community I’ve found within teaching at Berkeley. I have had some poor experiences with some other students in some CS classes I’ve taken. However, I’ve found that many people on course staff are really friendly and willing to offer advice and support.
• Maryam Azmandian (EECS 16B, CS 61A, CS 61B, CS 61C | ASE, AI; CSM): When I’m able to help someone understand a concept, it feels really rewarding to me; the moment something clicks for them, when they get unstuck and see a bigger picture, the sense of awe you see in their eyes is such an incredible moment! I love to spread the joy I have for a topic, and teaching is a great way to do that! I also care about providing a safe, warm, and positive space for students to ask their questions and feel supported and validated while doing so, which is something that I’ve taken from the many great instructors I’ve interacted with and has helped me a lot in my own learning journey.

Q: What advice would you give to others who are interested in getting involved in teaching?

• Anon Poet (EECS 16B | lab assistant): I think joining CSM is a really good first step in trying to understand whether you like teaching or not. If you want to join course staff, I would highly recommend helping other students on piazza and in lab sections (if applicable). We do notice all this, and I think this could really help in your application.
• Prachi Deo (CS 161 (computer security) | TA, reader): I know getting involved in teaching as an ASE is quite competitive, it took me many application cycles before I became a TA, but don’t give up. There are plenty of other ways to get involved, including teaching a DeCal, tutoring, teaching with a club, or teaching at workshops or summer camps. If you don’t have much experience with teaching yet, try to volunteer at events or workshops to gain experience and meet people who might be able to direct you towards longer-term opportunities. Also ask for feedback both from students and peers involved in teaching.
• Angelina Songco (CS 61B | TA, AI): Definitely, present yourself as someone that is relatable. I didn’t always get the concepts when I took the class and I feel like telling that to students gives them a sense of relief. Also, when teaching a topic, try to teach it to someone that has no idea what the concepts are. If they can comprehend and reiterate what you said, I think you can teach anyone.

Q: How have skills you gained from teaching helped you in your career?

• Dhruti Pandya (CS 61B | TA, AI; Juni Learning| CS Instructor): Along with a deeper understanding of the concepts I teach, being a TA has taught me a lot of leadership and soft skills from interacting with diverse people. Being able to effectively explain technical concepts is a vital skill in both interviews and day-to-day life as an engineer, which you get a lot of practice doing when teaching.
• Catherine Bumagat (​​CSM SM | EECS 16A): I gained so much more confidence in myself when I started teaching. I was very reserved and insecure as a freshman, and teaching has definitely helped me come out of my shell. Also, all the soft skills that come with teaching, like being able to concisely articulate your thought process and displaying your leadership skills, contributed a lot to my interview/recruiting experience! Fun fact, I gave a full demo and spiel of how the 16B car works during one of my interviews that landed me my full-time offer lol. These skills that I learned from teaching will stick with me even beyond my college experience, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
• Jessica Yu (CS 88, CS 61C, CS 61A | TA, AI, Tutor; CSM SM, JM): At work, I’ve had to explain my debugging processes to helpful mentors and present my work in formal meetings. I think being involved in the teaching community has given me a lot of confidence, leadership opportunities, and practice at communication. I really credit CSM and course staff for my personal growth in college.

Q: Any other comments?

• Anon Poet (EECS 16B | lab assistant): After the first semester, teaching the same material all over again does get really repetitive. Engaging in side projects helps (not sure if other courses do this though), but just something to keep in mind when deciding your activities for that semester. I personally think that trying out and learning new things is a lot more beneficial and interesting in college career.
• Angelina Songco (CS 61B | TA, AI): My TA for CS61B was actually goated. He treated his students as a family and did not judge anyone that asked any bizarre questions. I feel like he made the environment so relaxed and fun that I hope I get to translate that same impression to my students.
• Jessica Yu (CS 88, CS 61C, CS 61A | TA, AI, Tutor; CSM SM, JM): It was definitely cool to be a TA, but I enjoyed being a tutor/CSM mentor the most. I felt that I was able to have a more personal impact on my students. I’m still in touch with some of them! I really like those moments in section / OH when a student lights up and everything clicks because of how I explained something.

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